1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to hinges. More particularly, the present invention relates to a hinge assembly, specifically but not exclusively for a motor vehicle, operative for selectively limiting pivotal movement of an associated door.
2. Discussion
In a conventional manner, passenger doors of motor vehicles are pivotally mounted to the vehicle body for movement between an open position and a closed position. Various arrangements are known for positively locating the door relative to the vehicle body at a plurality of positions. In this regard, it is known in the art to provide a hinge assembly operative to establish an intermediate position between a fully open position and a closed position. When limited space laterally adjacent to a passenger door prohibits the door from fully opening, opening of the door to the intermediate position reduces incidents of unintentional damage to the door, to adjacent vehicles, or both.
One known arrangement for positively locating a vehicle door at a plurality of positions is disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,685,046, which is entitled "Motor Vehicle Double Pivot Hinge". This patent discloses a double pivot hinge for moving a vehicle door between closed, intermediate and full open positions. A U-shaped link has a bight portion joining first and second legs, with body and door hinge leafs each pivoted by a pin to a respective first and second leg. The hinge features a cam plate, fixed on each leaf, defining an arcuate cam edge having its center on its associated pin axis, and a single locking bar, supporting a cam follower on one end and a lug follower on an opposite end. U.S. Pat. No. 5,685,046 is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.
While the arrangement shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,685,046 and many other prior known arrangements have proven to be commercially acceptable for their intended applications, they are all associated with certain disadvantages. In this regard, known arrangements are typically operative for pivoting an associated vehicle door through approximately sixty (60) degrees to provide access to the passenger compartment. Occasionally, greater access to the passenger compartment is desirable. For example, physically impaired passengers often encounter difficulty entering and exiting a motor vehicle which could be alleviated through increased range of passenger door rotation. Such increased range of door rotation would also facilitate loading and unloading of oversized cargo. In known arrangements in which the associated vehicle door is permitted to pivot through an angle larger than sixty (60) degrees, a suitable mechanism for selectively limiting pivot door movement has not been incorporated.